Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Bo Roberts tells jokes in-between songs when he performed at The Yellowhammer Inn. Bo performed with Mark Sherrill on the back deck which is a great setting. The Yellowhammer Inn presents great talent every 3rd Wednesday of every month from March through October in 2012. It starts at 6PM at Tuscaloosa's Unique Retreat, The Yellowhammer, 2700 Yacht Club Way, North River, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I am told that I love music for much the same reason that
people are drawn to drugs, sex, gambling and tasteful foods such as chocolate.
When I listen to songs that move me, my brain release dopamine, a feel-good
chemical that is involved in both motivation and addiction. A specific pattern
of brain arousal and often are accompanied by increases in heart and breathing
rates and other physical responses.

Not only is music a powerful force for positive change in
the world. Researchers tell us that teaching music to kids helps them do better
in school. Yes, music is a powerful drug indeed.

From an early age, I realized that music was my drug of
choice.It could raise me out of a
funk better than any illicit substance. At the other end of the pendulum I
could also transport myself to deep, dark places. What is it about songs, the
beat, the words, the memories they provoke? Regardless, music can take me from
those deep, dark places to elation in an instant.

A fellow blogger, jpdeuce73 (Music is my drug blog), says it
best: “Who am I? A misfit who never fit in except for when the music was
playing. Music is like oxygen to me. I need it in my everyday life or I feel as
if I am suffocating. I love listening to all types of music, but what's even
better is being able to experience that music being performed live. To be that
close to the poets who wrote these pieces of art and seeing them translate it
in person. That, my friend, is like a drug...and it is my drug of choice.”

Music is not a scarce drug. There is lots of great music in
the world, and relatively few people hear most of it.I listen to as much music as I can. I love that feeling you
get when you listen to a favorite part of a favorite song. If I want to get
into a certain frame of mind, music does it for me. I become a part of the
music. I move when it wants me to move. When it leaves me I will surely beg for
more.

I listen to music when I am happy, sad, and in-between. There’s
something just irresistibly seductive about music. Music is the answer. Music
is my passion. Music is my drug of choice.

Friday, May 11, 2012

I did some consulting work in Southern California last week.
A very good band had signed with a large independent record company. Before
signing, the record company said they would market and promote the band’s
project. After signing, the front office executives decided not to market and
promote the band’s project because of economic conditions. The hard lesson
learned was the band had no control what so ever over whether the record company
promoted their music or not. Mistakes were made on both sides. The band’s
mistakes happened way before they signed.

I want to pass on some knowledge as you advance to the next
level:

1.Always be as professional as possible when
dealing with the media, the music industry, future contacts, as well as your
fans.

2.It is all right for others to brag about you,
but don’t do it yourself.

3.Get involved in your official website. The
reasons you have a website is to expose you & your music to the world and
to sell your music.

4.Social media sites are tools to direct traffic
to your website.

5.The more reviews you have, the more curious
people are about you. Reviews make you a critically acclaimed band as opposed
to simply a band.

6.​Always
respond to email messages.

7.Build a following one fan at a time.

8.Expect
your hard work to advance you, gain new fans, add more hits to your website,
more downloads of your music, and more press coverage.

In today’s world it’s not difficult to make music. Making a
career in music is not easy but it never was easy. I still say, this is the
best time in all of history to be a musician. There are hundreds of thousands
of ways to promote your music on the Internet. Being a great singer,
songwriter, and musician takes dedication and when all three are mastered is
the most rare of the species. Young musicians want to be great at every aspect
of music and the music business. That is admirable but virtually impossible. Many
burn out early and band break-ups are more than common these days. I think it
best to stick with what you do well. Results will depend on how good you are
and how hard you work. It’s all basic but all of us need to be reminded now and
then.

As always when I go to a different part of the world, I
check out the record stores. The best of the best in record stores I visited
this trip is Bagatelle Records on
Atlantic Ave. in Long Beach. The owner Steve Mintz is knowledgeable and truly
enjoys what he does.

Also colleagues in California assured me that the Indie Entertainment
Summit is worth the money and effort. There is a live stream of the IES seminars,
workshops & speakers for only $50 for us that can’t attend. IES happens
August 1-5 at different venues in L.A. Most of the venues are in the Hollywood
area. http://www.indieentertainmentsummit.com/

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Peer pressure is another phrase for the herd instinct. The vast majority of musicians are followers. What others do, they do. They seem to have the tendency to conform. Other musician’s actions influence their actions. Why are number one records number one? It is certainly not talent in many cases. Nor is it because of life changing songs. There are a million songs that are better. Fact is: People love to consume what everyone else is consuming. They listen to what others are listening to. Musicians tend to pattern their music toward what people are listening to. Not to mention those number one songs are the results of a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign. My best advice: you should ignore this trap! Who cares what others are doing! You are better off to focus on yourself and your music. Think critically and ignore what's popular. Do what's best for you! Quoting Shakespeare, “To Thine Own Self Be True….”

About Me

My name is Jerry W. Henry and I manage Alabama Music Office.com. I of course live in Alabama. I have been in the music business in one way or another for 50 years. I feel today is the best time in all of history for music artists.